Beyond Film School: Real World Strategies for Independent Producers
Session: December 2026
About this Weekend Intensive
You learned how to make a movie in film school, but do you know how to actually get one made outside of an academic environment? How do you package a script that catches the eye of top talent and buyers? How do executives and producers evaluate projects when making greenlight decisions? What are the unwritten rules of surviving development, packaging, and the business of Hollywood?
In this weekend online intensive, producer and film executive Thayer Juergens breaks down the practical industry realities, packaging strategies, and professional survival tactics left off traditional academic syllabi.
What you bring to the course: A foundational background in filmmaking, a desire to understand the industry from the inside, and an eagerness to bridge the gap between creative vision and commercial production. (You do not need an active project or screenplay to participate.)
What you'll get from the course:
- An executive insider’s view on how projects are evaluated, optioned, and greenlit
- Practical strategies for packaging projects with name talent and financing partners
- Methods for effectively pitching your story to producers, agents, and buyers
- How to navigate relationships with representatives and build a lasting network
- Real-world tactics for navigating your career
- Insights into getting jobs and building a multi-hyphenate career
This course will:
- provide actionable tools to help you navigate the commercial film landscape.
- demystify the business of filmmaking through case studies and practical industry examples.
- offer direct interaction with the instructor during live lectures and open Q&A sessions.
- not require outside class work.
Weekend IntensiveAccessibility
Sundance Collab provides accommodations and support services to participants with disabilities. Accommodations and services are designed to meet the needs of each participant. Please email us at accessibility@sundance.org to arrange for services.
Scholarships
Sundance Collab offers a limited number of need-based, partial and full scholarships. Scholarship applications can be submitted until one week before the registration deadline and do not stack with discounts or promotions, including early registration. Due to the volume of applicants, we are not always able to provide a scholarship, but we may still offer a spot in the course.
Dates and Times
- Introductory Opening Session: 3–5 p.m. PT
- Session 1: 9 a.m.–12 p.m. PT
- Session 2: 1–4 p.m. PT
- Session 3: 9 a.m.–12 p.m. PT
- Session 4: 1–4:30 p.m. PT
Instructor
Thayer Juergens
Instructor
Thayer Juergens is a Los Angeles-based producer, film executive, and horror comedian. Recent films include PLAYDATE starring Alan Ritchson and Kevin James, SOLO MIO starring Kevin James, the Patty Jenkins EP'd film JUNKIE, and the recently released THE GET OUT starring Russell Crowe, Aaron Paul, Nina Dobrev, and Luke Evans. He is the Executive Producer of the upcoming film RUNNER starring Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson, and is producing the Zack Stentz-led murder mystery series MURDER AS A FINE ART for television. He is also the producer of the upcoming sci-fi horror comedy NO LATE FEES, produced by Dead Meat Productions and Longshot Productions. Thayer is also the creator, host, and titular character of the Los Angeles horror comedy show Cackle Freaks, which takes place monthly at the Lyric Hyperion and has featured guests including Doug Jones, David Dastmalchian, and Barbara Crampton.
FAQ
In Sundance Collab’s Intensives, participants attend live, virtual class sessions in a condensed time period. These sessions are led by an instructor and supported by the Sundance Collab courses team.
All members of the Sundance Collab community are welcome to register for Sundance Collab Intensives. Some Intensives require an application. Please review the description and any eligibility requirements to ensure the Intensive is a good fit. If you have any questions, please email collab_courses@sundance.org.
For application-based Intensives, note that space is limited. Applications are considered as they are received and applicants are accepted on a rolling basis until the Intensive is full or the deadline has passed, whichever comes first. If the application window is open, you will see an “Apply” button on the course page.
We send our application acceptance notifications on a rolling basis, starting after the application deadline. You will be notified of your acceptance status no later than three days before the first session. At any point, you can check the status of a course that you have applied to by logging into Sundance Collab and visiting the course page. You’ll see a purple bar there indicating your status.
When reviewing applications for an Intensive, the Sundance Collab team evaluates the needs and expectations of each applicant. We are also looking to convene a diverse group of participants who will work well together and support each other throughout the Intensive. Finally, we will confirm that the applicant can meet the time commitment necessary and has a strong interest and readiness to complete the Intensive and meaningfully contribute to the group process.
We do not offer any combined applications or discounts for Sundance Collab Intensives.
We often offer a limited number of need-based, full or partial scholarships. Check the course description to see if that course currently has scholarships available. Scholarships are prioritized for one per person per year (from the date of issue). Scholarship applications are available up to one week before the registration deadline. To apply for a scholarship, complete the registration form by clicking the REGISTER button and selecting the option to apply for a scholarship, if available.
Applicants will be notified about their scholarship decision prior to the first day of the course. Due to the volume of applicants, we are not always able to provide a scholarship, but we may still offer a spot in the course. In this case, depending on the course, payment plans may be available and can be selected at checkout.
We may offer the option of either a two or three-part payment plan for Intensives. If offered, the first payment will be due at the time of registration and the last payment will be due before the halfway point of the Intensive. Due to the length of Intensives, a payment plan option may not be available closer to the registration deadline. For specific payment plan dates, please reach out to our team at: collab_courses@sundance.org.
Yes, you are welcome to take a live, online Intensive even if you can’t make the live sessions. Recordings of each session are available online within two business days.
All sessions are recorded and usually made available within two business days. The videos will also contain the chat and transcript from the session, viewable in the video playbar.
Participants will have access to the recordings for one year following the last session.
All participants will receive a Certificate of Completion. The certificate will include the name associated with your Sundance Collab account.
You can join a course via a computer or mobile device. All of our Intensives are conducted via Zoom.
Download and set up the Zoom software and make sure you have the latest update. Here are some great resources from Zoom’s Knowledge Base to take a deeper dive into using Zoom:
- Watch Zoom's Video Tutorials or review training materials on the Getting Started page.
- Join a Live Training from Zoom.
If you have any further questions, please email collab_courses@sundance.org.
Sundance Collab provides accommodations and support services to participants with disabilities. Please contact us at (435) 776-7790 or email us at accessibility@sundance.org to ask any questions or to discuss your specific needs after you have been accepted into the course.